Personal hygiene is a practice with an importance that could not be emphasized more. It's not so much about its aesthetic effects as it is about its health benefits. No matter how great your hairstyle looks or your cologne smells, you may suffer from adverse health conditions if you lack hygiene.

One such disease caused by lack of personal hygiene is skin boil or furuncle. This is an unsightly mark on the skin produced by the accumulation of pus. That is why it usually comes in the form of a yellowish lump.

So what are the main culprits of this skin disease? Most people attribute the development of boils to poor hygiene. While this is true, it is actually just one among the several possible causes of this infection.

Science says that boils are brought about by a bacterium that resides on the epidermis and infects the hair follicles. This bacterium is called Staphylococcus epidermidis or Staphylococcus aureus. Once a lesion or cut is present in your skin, the said bacterium can enter your hair follicles and start its invasion.

The entrance of this bacterium may also happen while you take a bath. That is why it is not advisable to overly scratch or rub your skin, especially when bathing. Your skin may also be more susceptible to the attack of this bacterium if you use a razor.

Health experts also have found that the use of anti-perspirant deodorants result to the development of boils in the armpit. Since such deodorants are designed to clog pores, the dirt and sebum that are supposed to be flushed out from your system gets trapped inside your skin. This leads to the development of boils.

Strong medications also count as one of the causes of skin boils. While they work by killing illnesses, they also tend to weaken your immune system. As a result, you become more susceptible to more infections and diseases, one of which is boils.